Rotary internal-combustion engine.



I. M. SINER.

ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION iflLED JUNE 30. m6.

Patented May 29, 1917..

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. M. SINER. ROTARY INTERNAL comsusnou enema.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, I916- l U,

Patented May 29,1917.

- 3 SHEETS-SHEEI'Z.

: citizen of the United States, residin aorm msmnn, or ranrsn, rmmma'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ROTABYliEN'TERNAI -GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed June 30, 1916. Serial No.106,91 7.

To *whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. SINER,

at Parish, in the county of Manatee and tate of Florida, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to rotary internal combustion engines, the object in view being'to produce a simple reliable and powerful engine of the class described which may be economically manufactured and maintained.

,One of the chief obJects of the invention to provide a novel: combination of rotor,

rotor casing, expansion chamber, valve and charge compressing means, whereby the exlosive mixture is highly compressed and delivered to and contained by a hollow or tubular valve and quickly released into the 2 expansion chamber-byo'perating means controlled from the engine shaft, the compressed charge being exploded within a confined space between an abutment carried by the srotor and a sliding abutment carried by the rotor casing.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure'l is a side elevation of an engine embodying the present invention, looking toward, the cam side' thereof.

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking toward the opposite side of the engine, showing the charge compressing means, one cylinder of which is illustrated in section.

Fig. .3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the engine. I

- Fig. 4 is a vertical diametrical sectlon through the same. 7 v

Fig. 5 is an enlarged circumferential cross section extending through the sliding abutment and the valve chamber showing the oscillatory inlet valve in section.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the casing. showing I the cut-ofl spark plug and inlet valve. 0

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical longltudinal section taken through the casing and a part of the rotor illustrating one of thc inlet valves and one of the cut-ofls.

The engine contemplated n this mvention comprises, in the preferred embodiment thereof, a stationary cylindrical casing 1 having a broad' 'extended base 2 adapting the same to be fixedly secured to a floor or othersupport.

The casing 1 as shown is provided at diametrically opposite places with outwardly. extending and radially'disposed housings 3 for a pair of slidable abutments or cutofi's 4. 'The casing 1 is also formed with a pluralityof valve chambers5 and a corresponding 'numbcr of'exhaust ports 6.

, Mounted with the casing 1 is a rotor 7 which is shown as provided with a single abutment 8 having an eccentric face 9 which cooperates with the inner extremities of the sliding cut-ofi's 4 for the purpose of pressing said cut-offs outwardly." The abutment also provides a working or pressure face 10 against which the expansive fluid acts, said fluid being trapped or confined between the working face 10'--' offthe abutment 8'and an opposing working-face 11 of the adjacent cut-ofl' 4.'

Each of the cut-ofis 4 is provided with a laterally extending pin 12; which works in a guide slot 13 disposed radially with respect to the centrallylocated engine shaft 14 on which the rotor 7 is fixed. Referring now to Fig. '1, the pin 12 of each cut-ofi' 4 has attached thereto one end of a plunger rod lo which works through guides 16 and 17 secured to or projecting from one of the disk shaped heads 18 of thecasing 1. Each plunger rod 15 is pressed inwardly toward the shaft 14 by means of a coiled expansion spring '19 which surrounds the'rod 15 and is interposed between one of the guides 16 and a shoulder or collar 20 on said rods At its inner end each rod 15 carries a roller 21 cooperating with a cut-off cam 22 having a fixed relation to the shaft 12. The cam 22 is so designed that it presses each of the abutments or 'cut-ofls 4 outwardly to allow the abutment 8 of the rotor to pass by the same.

The charge compressing means best illus- I 'trated in Fig. 2 is shown as comprising a pair of diametrically opposite cylinders 23 in each of which is mounted a reciprocatory piston 24 The cylinders 23 are {fixedly at-' tached to the adjacent head 17 of the casing and the pistons 24 are connected by the usual rods 25 to a wrist pin 26 extending outwardly from'a disk head 27 on one end 110 of the engine shaft 14 as shown in Fig. 4.'f The-outer head 28 of the cylinders 23 provides a valve chamber 29 formed with an opening leading into the head of the cylinder and controlled byan intake valve 30 which is normally held seated by means of a spring 31 encircling the stem 32 of the valve. 33 designates one of the branches of an intake manifold connected to a suitable carbureter (not shown).

Each cylinder 23 has an outlet port 34 which is illustrated in Fig. 7 provided with a passage 35 leading to an inlet port 36 of an oscillatory inlet valve 37, said valve being provided in addition to the inlet port 36 with an outlet port 38 adapted to move into and out of register with a passage 39 which leads from the valve chamber 5 into the expansion chamber 40, said expanslon chamber being of annular formation as shown in Fig. 3. The valve 37 is of tubular or hollow formation and is substantially cylindrical though slightly tapering from one end to the other to obtain a tight fit.

Each of the valves 37 is provided at one end with a stem 41 having fast thereon an arm 42 from which a link rod 43 extends to a rocker arm 44, pivotally mounted at 45 on the casing and coiiperatively related to a valve operating plunger 46 which is slidable radially with respect to the engine shaft 14 through guides 47 and is pressed normally inward by means of a spring 48. The

inner end of each rod 46 bears against and is actuated by a valve operating cam 49 having a fixed relation to the engine shaft 14, said cam being shown as provided with a cam projection 50 adapted to cotiperate alternately with the plunger rods 46 for the purpose of alternately opening the oscillatory inlet valves 37. Eachinlet valve 37 is provided at its other end with a stem 51 having fast thereon an arm 52 to which is attached one end of the valve closing spring 53 the other end of which is connected to a fixed point 54 on the adjacent head of the casing 1. The mechanism just described provides for a quick operation of the oscillatory valve 37 enabling the same to be quickly opened and-closed for'the purpose of releasing a compressed charge into the expansion chamber 40 and closes just prior to the formation of a spark in order to prevent back firing into said valve. The arrangement, of the spark plug is illustrated in Fig.

'6 in which it will be observed that the inlet end of the plug 55 isreceived in a firing cavity 56 formed on one of the side walls or heads 17 of the casing.

An ignition-timer ring57 having a fixed relation to the engine shaft 14 carries a contact point 58 which alternately touches a pair of oppositely arranged contacts 59 extending upwardly from a contact carrier or support 60. The timer 67 may be adjusted stood that the c Lasepra 7 so as to cause a spark at each plug 55 when the abutment 18 and the cut-off l1 assume the relative positions illustrated in Fig. 3.

In order. to provide against leakage of compression the oscillatory valve 37 is held tightly to its seat by meanslof a spring 61 which acts to draw the valve 37 toward the smaller end of the valve chamber 50 indicated in Fig. 5. Each sliding abutment or cut-0E 4 is provided inits inner end with a ing thereby held by pressure'of the expanded fluid in contact with the rotor. The abut ment 8 is formed with grooves to receive one or more packing strips 65 which extend along the side faces of the abutment 8 and also across the periphery -ofthe said abutment so as to contact with the heads and inner peripheral wall of the casing 1. Each of the rotor as shown in Fig. 4 and still u other packing rings 71 are seated in grooves in the inner faces of the casing heads 17 The rotor carried rings bear against the heads 17 and the rings 71 of the heads 17 against the opposite faces of the rotor.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will now be understood that each cut-off is moved outwardly by the cam 22 and in addition thereto the outward movement of each cut-ofi is insured-by the eccentric face 9 of the abutment 8. The cut-offs are moved quickly inward by means of the springs 19 and pounding or slamming of the cut-offs is prevented by the cam 22 which has an abrupt face 72 which is inclined or rounded as shown at 73 thereby preventing the roller 21 from being driven violently in contact with the concentric portion of the cam as will be clearly seen in 1. It will also be undercharge compressing cylinders are delivered to the oscillatory inlet valves which are of sufficient internal dimensions to each conrges compressed by the tional abutments 8 and also that one or more additional cut-oil's 4 may be provided according to the size of the en e and the horse power to be produced. y providing such additional abutments and cut-ofis additional impulses or explosions will occur,

it being further understood that the ignition timing device will be altered accordingly so as to produce a spark to ignite each charge of mixture admitted to the expansion chamber. What I claim is 1 1. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combinationofa stationary cylindrical casing having radially extended cut-ofi' housings, inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports; a central engine shaft, a rotor fast on said shaft having an abutment formed with an eccentric face and a working face sub stantially parallel to the working face of the adjacent cut-off when in firing position; a plurality of radially movable cut-oifs slidable in said housings between the inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports; oscillatory inlet valves in said valve chambers, a plurality of charge compressors mounted on the stationary casing and driven from the engine shaft, intake valves for said compressors, and means for quickly opening and closing said oscillatory inlet valves.

2. In a rotary internalcombustion engine, the combination of astationary .cylindrical casing having radially extended cutofi' housings, inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports; a central engine shaft, a rotor fast on said shaft having an abutment formed with an eccentric face and a working face substantially parallel to the working. face of the adjacent cut-off when in firing position; a plurality of radially movable.

cut-ofis slidablein said housings between the inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports; os-

cillatory inlet valves in said valve chambers,

, a plurality of charge compressors mounted on the stationary casin and driven from the engineshaft, intake va ves for said compressors, cam mechanism for opening said inlet valves, and springs for quickly closing thesame.

3. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination of a stationary cylindrical casing having radially extended cut-ofi' housings, inlet valve'chambers and exhaust ports; a central engine shaft, a rotor fast on said shaft having an abutment formed with an eccentric face and a workin face substantially parallel to the working ace of the adjacent cut-off when'in firing position; a plurality of radially movable cut-ofi's slidable in sa1d housings between the inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports oscillatory inlet valves in-said valve cham ers, and a plurality of charge compressors mounted on the ,stationary casing and driven from the engine shaft, said intake valves each having ports only one of which at a time may register with its mating port in the casing.

4:. In a rotary internal combustion engine, the combination of a stationary cylindrical casing havin radially extended cut-ofl' housings, inlet va ve chambers and exhaust ports; a central engine shaft, a rotor'fast on said shaft having an abutment formed with an eccentric face and a working face substantially parallel to the working face of the adjacent cut-ofl' when in firing position; a lurality of radially movable cut-offs slidab e in said housings between the inlet valve chambers and exhaust ports; oscillatory inlet valves in said valve chambers located between the' compressors and the expansion chamber, a plurality of charge compressors mounted on the stationary casm and driven from the engine shaft, intake va ves for sa1d compressors, and means for quickly opening and closing said inlet valves.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.-

' 7 JOHN M. SINER. 

